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  1. #1

    For those skilled in graphic design...

    How did you get started? What program did you use to start out with, and what do you use now? Do you know of any informative websites on graphic design?

    Sorry to ask so many questions...but thanks in advance!

  2. #2
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    Hmmm... Well I went out and bought myself Paint Shop Pro 7. I mastered it along with MS Paint and a few other cheap programs I got free on CD with some computer magizanes the b4 I know it I have in control over victory.

    There loads of sites, but considering I didn't use any sites to learn my work I can't excatly recommand any

  3. #3
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    go fiddle with photoshop and learn from tutorial of others.

  4. #4
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    I think, and find the best wya to learn programs is just to fiddle about with them and do stuff the way you want to, I just think its easier.

    I suggest you go fiddle with photoshop like NumLock but try learning by yourself first, its far more effective and give a unique 'ping' to your work

  5. #5
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    actually, i have no *mastered* the more graphical graphic arts, just the basics and manupilating images and does kinds stuff. i still can't figure out how to create those marvelous masterpeices.

  6. #6
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    Thats thousands of marvelous masterpeices in graphics, HAHA. hmmm oh well, you need to be more descriptive though, like what marvelous masterpeices you can;t do, because I'm lost now.

  7. #7
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    Xarax

    xara.com

  8. #8
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    Oh yeah.... Try www.spoono.com I belive this is pretty helpfull with designing and coding etc.

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    I started off with Paint Shop Pro 5. Currently, I use a large range of programs, but mostly PSP 7 for quick edits and Photoshop when designing graphics to be used on the internet.

    I found this resource to be quite helpful. (For Adobe Photoshop)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2002
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    31
    I learned on Photoshop 3 Mac, then went to PSP5 and now I use Photoshop 7 and Illustrator 10 with my PC, I have bought 15-20books and read lots of tutorials on the web.
    Jon Drew
    Synax Solutions Inc.
    info @ ssinc.bz

  11. #11
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    I started out with Adobe PhotoDeluxe when I was doing it as a hobby (as it came free with a scanner). Now it's my job I use Photoshop 7, Fireworks MX and Freehand 10

  12. #12
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    If you look out and buy the right computer books, it sometimes has reviews and steps though different programs.

    Some computer magazine even supply you with a free demo disk of certain programs and tutirals for them.

  13. #13
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    Apr 2002
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    Fairfax, VA
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    To be honest, if you're just starting in graphics design I wouldn't spend too much time learning a program yet. I would head to your local library and see if they have any portfolio style books - mine has several books which contain business card designs and corporate image type examples. Another good resource to tune your design sense is Communication Arts. They produce several portfolio-style books (around $50 a piece a think) with great examples of good design.

    Once you get your eye tuned I would begin looking at programs. I started out w/ PSP, though depending on how design vs. web oriented you want to be, Illustrator is also a good starting point (though a bit more expensive). I wouldn't start w/ Photoshop because it lacks any good (I know it has some, but they're akward) vector tools.

    Just my 2c.

    Dave
    Dave Glick
    creativenews.com - creative news for creative people.
    glickcreative.com - look ma, I have a portfolio!

  14. #14
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    definitely start with photoshop... it's the industry standard, and thus has the most tutorials, forums, and support online.

    and to the guy above me, don't worry about dealing with vector tools if you're designing graphics for the web, touching up photos, etc. Vector-based programs are for very specific, printing tasks.
    "Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did."
    - Mark Twain

  15. #15
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    and to the guy above me, don't worry about dealing with vector tools if you're designing graphics for the web, touching up photos, etc. Vector-based programs are for very specific, printing tasks.
    Just to add to the discussion here, I've got to disagree. Vector tools are not just for printing tasks. They come in very handy any time you're working with geometric shapes (such as lines, circles, boxes, rectangles, etc.). They offer the designer the ability to resize and move objects 'at will' w/o quality loss. Any professional and succesful graphics designer (of which I am not one, but aspire to be) will probably tell you that Illustrator is an invaluble tool - even if they're just doing web work. In fact, Vector tools come in handy for the web because you deal with a lot of geometric shapes.

    Don't get me wrong - I'm not knocking Photoshop - it's a fantastic program for what it does, the best in fact. But that task, editing and manipulating photographs, isn't the end all and be all of graphics design. In fact, I would guess that most really good web designers probably spend more time in programs like Illustrator/Flash and only open up the trusty PS when they have an image to work with.

    One problem I can see with many private web designers these days is that they are not taking the time or effort to learn the principles of design. This includes color theory, typography, and the like. If you are designing for clients and don't know what the Swiss Grid is or why they call that spacing between lines "Leading" than it might be time to read up...

    http://www.commarts.com (subscribe - it's worth it)

    -or-

    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...628103-7042569

    are good places to start.

    Take what I say w/ a grain of salt. I've been in the "real world" for aout four years and am finishing up my undergrad studies in graphics design, but I am by no means an "expert".

    Dave
    Dave Glick
    creativenews.com - creative news for creative people.
    glickcreative.com - look ma, I have a portfolio!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Location
    New Orleans, LA
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    I really don't wanna argue, but the simple fact is, web designers use Photoshop more for a number of reasons.
    • Photoshop has several more effects, period. Basic shape manipulation is similar in both programs, but Photoshop has more built-in filters (and third-party filters available). Rendering a filter, adding complex textures, etc. in a vector based program is extremely different than bitmap/raster form.
    • When designing for the web, your space is rarely larger than 800 x 600 and 72dpi. Even "good" designers with larger monitor resolutions know to stay within 800 x 600, because its the most popular resolution by far. Now if you create an image that's around 200x200, and have to resize it later to 400x400, you're not going to see a noticeable amount of difference in quality with shapes. As for photographs, quality is lost if you enlarge the picture from its original size, whether you're in photoshop or illustrator.
    • The main drawbacks that come from working in raster format, as opposed to vector, is the pixelation of edges. And any intermediate Photoshop user knows how to smoothen edges after resizing, so that difference is negligible.
    • Photoshop does not begin or end with "manipulating photographs," and saying that suggests your limited grasp of PS's possibilities. I'm not trying to insult you by any means, but if you don't see the advantages of PS, I think you should spend more time toying with it.

    And if you still don't believe how much more powerful and popular PS is than Illustrator, go to the top 20 web design/graphic community sites... go to their tutorial section. Notice how many Photoshop tutorials you see vs Illustrator tutorials. It's not even remotely close.
    "Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did."
    - Mark Twain

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